It's the rare individual who has never been approached by a family member, friend or co-worker about the possibility of helping with a fund-raiser, a letter-writing campaign, a marathon or any of the many other ways to aid their pet project in a volunteer capacity.

Instead of being caught off-guard and stuttering that you don't have time, and to avoid over-committing yourself, research your availability prior to being approached about volunteering. Do this research, too, prior to seeking any and all volunteer opportunities on your own.

Everyone-including you-can find time to volunteer. Begin by refusing to explore reasons you absolutely don't have the time, because doing something, or not doing it, is a choice.

Instead of making an immediate, impulsive choice to accept or to turn down the idea, do a little research. Invest ten minutes right now and a few minutes each day for the next few weeks to ask yourself some questions. By following the steps below, you'll be taking a look at your current commitments and deciding, first, where you have free time (notice I don't say "if") and, second, how much of that time, if any, you're willing to devote to helping your community or your world.

Step 1. Track your life for a week or two. Keep a record of each half hour or full hour you devote to sleeping, eating, household chores, exercise, work, etc. Particularly look at the total time spent in leisure activities (e.g., watching TV).

Step 2. If you decide there is time to volunteer, pinpoint exactly how much time. For instance, can you give four hours or a mere fifteen minutes? Don't be discouraged, fifteen minutes counts! (Can you volunteer to drive a neighbor to an appointment and pick them up later?)

Step 3. If you're considering more formal volunteering, allow for travel time to and from that location in your calculations. If your time is limited, be alert for opportunities to volunteer from right in your home. (Do you know a homebound person who would appreciate a five-minute daily call?)

Step 4. If you are already considering volunteering for certain non-profits, find out if there will be a minimum daily or weekly time commitment required of you

Step 5. Now decide where it fits in your week and make a call or visit to the non-profits that interest you and which is the best fit at this time. If you are still a bit hesitant, begin any commitment with the minimum number of hours allowed. It's always easier to add more time to your volunteering than to subtract them.

You've examined your everyday life and decided if you have time to fit in volunteering opportunities, whether one time or ongoing. You may find that you have time but prefer not to volunteer this month or this year.

You feel comfortable and confident that you'll be ready to give a firm response one way or another the next time someone approaches you about volunteering. And, if you've decided to volunteer, you now have a good idea of how much time you'll actually be able to give in volunteer hours.

Learn more about this author, Kathleen Richardson.
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